The City of Fort Lauderdale spent $10.5 million to install a new pump station last December as a measure against the flooding the city has endured during heavy rainstorms over the past few years. Residents told local news outlets they’re glad it’s in place, but not all are confident that it will work until they see it tested during an actual storm.
Fort Lauderdale city official Kitty McGowan, who is the president of the Edgewood Civic Association — Edgewood has become a flood zone — told CBS News that residents have lost patience. “A lot of people are done,” she said. “If you drive around this neighborhood, there’s a ton of for sale signs.”
A Fort Lauderdale spokesperson said the city has spent more than $50 million improving stormwater systems in Edgewater and River Oaks. The new systems are reportedly designed to manage up to 7 to 10 inches of stormwater per day.